In the summer of 2012, the Kansas Mental Health Coalition launched a new and exciting project to expand the opportunities for mental health advocacy for Kansans and we would like to invite your review and participation.

The project, known as the Grassroots Advocacy Network: Kansas Voices for Mental Health, is described in more detail in the program description. The concept is to recruit and train mental health advocates and to build a statewide network of legislative district representatives who will have the capability of influencing public policy through their state and local elected officials. We are planning the project as an ongoing activity of the Coalition for the long-term.

All participants who sign a commitment form are invited to participate in the Network - even if they are unable to attend a training event now.

At the outset, financial support for Kansas Voices was provided by the Sunflower Foundation and the Coalition. Training events are available on request. We can work with small groups to build an event in their area. Resources will be available to defray registration and travel costs for those who cannot otherwise afford to participate.

Please be aware that this advocacy training is practice-based and requires that participants be willing to write and share their experience with mental illness and recovery from their perspective as a consumer, family member, provider or advocate.

An application for participation in Kansas Voices is available in the left column. Please consider whether this opportunity is for you and who else you may know who might consider being a part of the project. Thank you for helping us to spread the word and to recruit more Kansas consumers, family members and mental health professionals for the Grassroots Advocacy Network: Kansas Voices for Mental Health.